To The Golf Courses of Yesteryear

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North Surrey Golf Club. (1895 - WW2)

Founded in 1895 as Balham Golf Club (see separate entry).

It became North Surrey Golf Club in 1896 with a nine-hole course and a clubhouse on Mitcham Road, Streatham. Their close neighbour at this time was the former Tooting Bec Golf Club (see separate entry) at Furzedown.

The Clubhouse on the Mitcham Road course.

It was reported in October 1897 that the North Surrey Golf Club were about to run two courses at the same time. As well as the course on Mitcham Road they had obtained land at Norbury where an eighteen-hole course was laid out by Arthur Cole, secretary of the club, and the greens committee. It took just six months to complete the work. The course measured 3,750 yards, the longest hole being the fourth at 380 yards, the shortest was fifteenth, 120 yards. The bogey score was 75. It was probable that more land would become available enabling the course to be lengthened. The old Manor House on the estate was refurbished and would be used as the clubhouse. The club had 300 members who paid an entrance fee of £3/3s and subs of £3/3s. Despite the hostility of some of the local clergy Sunday play was to be allowed. Dr Thompson Hague retained the captaincy of the club; Dr Louis Robinson, hon. treasurer; A Cole, secretary.

The course opened on Saturday 2nd October 1897 when twenty six local professionals competed for a prize of £15 given by the club. The competitors included; J H Taylor, Wimbledon; J Braid, Romford; Peter Paxton, Tooting Bec; Jack White, Seaford; Douglas Rolland, Hasings; A Thomson, North Surrey. Taylor had the best round, as follows; Out - 4,4,4,5,3,5,4,4,3 = 36; In - 4,3,4,4,5,3,3,4,4 = 34 - Total, 70. The competition attracted a crowd of around 600 people.

A 36-hole Professional Tournament, organised by the North Surrey Club, was played on the course on Saturday 2nd October 1897. It created a lot of interest and there was a large crowd to enjoy the play. Twenty eight players started - popular pairings were; Douglas Rolland (Bucks Hill) and Peter Paxton (Tooting Bec); J Braid (Romford) and J White (Seaford); J H Taylor (Wimbledon) and A Thomson (North Surrey); R Smith (Hastings) and J Rowe (Royal Ashford Forest); J Sherlock (Oxford University) and D Anderson (Bromley & Bickley). In the morning round J H Taylor was in great form scoring 70, out in 36 and home in 34. James Braid hit the ball well but struggled with his putting, he went round in 72, 37 out and 35 home. Leading first round scores; J H Taylor, 70; J Braid, 72; D Rolland, 74; J Sherlock, 75; R Smith, 76; J White, 76; A Thomson, 77. The feature of the second round was the form of the home professional, A Thomson, returning with a score of 74. Final scores and prize money; J H Taylor, 70+73=143, received £6; J Braid, 72+73=145, £4; D Rolland, 74+77=151, and A Thomson, 77+74=151, received £2 each; J White, 76+76=152, £1.

Thanks to Golf Heritage @LdnGolfHistory for their help in compiling the following from 1898.

Taken from Cycling & Golf Illustrated April 1898. "We reproduce a picture of the handsome new clubhouse , which is to take the place of the old building, which was destroyed by fire. Members will have all the comforts of a commodious and well-appointed hotel. Not merely will they have a sumptuous dining room, billiard room and a card room, but they will have dressing rooms, bathrooms, even boot rooms, and, as a matter of course, lounge and smoke-rooms. It must be confessed that the North Surreyites have perceived that they ought to have a course in harmony with such excellent surroundings. And so it is that in April their course will be lengthened and will thus then include eight holes of between 360 and 480 yards."

On Saturday 10th December 1898 the junior, or silver/division 2 medal as it would now be called, resulted in a tie between H T Bull, 104-18-86 and J M Mackintosh, 106-20-86. In the bogey competition played on December 17th G Wade Shore (15) was the winner on 3down, E Buss (14) also on 3down was second and G Babington (12) was third on 4down.

In January 1899 G Babington and D Junous won the foursome cup with a bogey score of 4down. The Medal for January was won by E A Peachey, 87-12-75, the runner-up was E Buss, 95-14-81.

At the beginning of April 1899 the club held a tournament to celebrate the alterations and extension to the links. A further sixteen acres were added to the course. It was reported in the London Standard “ that this has not only materially improved the sporting character of the green, but has made it, from the long driver’s point of view, one of the most attractive in the neighbourhood of London. There are now no fewer than five holes which run to the length of 500 yards each. In the re-arrangement of the putting greens, the winding River Graveney plays no unimportant part. The old second hole, which was a tricky four “Bogey” has been extended to 420 yards, and then a sporting third, with a double hedge and water hazard. The fourth, of 400 yards, is essentially a hole for the straight player. A fifth of 500 yards, a sixth of 500, and a tenth of 500, with a triple hazard, brings the length of the course up to three miles and a half. “Bogey” had been raised from 78 to 86” On Saturday 1st of April A Thomson, the club professional, went round in 83. The bogey competition held on Good Friday was won by Mr W Butler, 1 down. Saturday the 1st was the stroke play competition, W B Stamp with a score of 90 won the senior division, W A Lack won the junior with 96.

Result of the September 1899 bogey competition; J W E Murray, all square; T Ras(s)chon, 1down.

In 1906 the secretary was William Blackford and the professional Tom Harris (1905 to 1907). An 18 hole course. Course records, amateur A S Goodson 72 and professional A Thomson 74. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a day, weekend and Bank Holiday 2/- a day, 7/6 a week and 20/- a month. The station at Norbury was just 1 minute away. Local hotel was the Thrale Hall, Mitcham Lane, Streatham, London.

In the final of the Hague Cup in July 1909 Mr Winden Luff beat Dr. T H Brown by 3&2.

The 1911 December monthly bogey resulted in a tie between H H Hodgkins and Capel Morris, 1up.

In 1914 the secretary was still W Blackford at North Surrey Golf Club, Norbury. Telephone Streatham 340. *The professional was H Frostick (1907 to 1915)*. There was a membership of 319 gents and 60 ladies. The entry fee was £6/6/0, five day members £3/3/0. Subs were £6/60 and five day £3/3/0. Visitors’ fees on introduction, 2/6 a day, 10/- a week and £1/10/0 a month. Sunday play was allowed with caddies.

*Following information courtesy of "The PGA Remembers" project - Harold Joseph Frostick; Elected PGA Member 1909. Southern Section; Regiment - Rifleman: 1st/16th Battalion London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles); Service Number 551984; Died - Killed in action 10th September 1916; Buried - Serre Road Cemetery No. 2. Ref: XXXIV. A. 16; Notes - Harold Frostick the professional at North Surrey Golf Club was the brother of F H Frostick the long serving professional at St Georges Hill. Harold enlisted in the (Queens’s Westminster Rifles) of the London Regiment falling in action in September 1916.

In the early 1920s through to its closure in about 1933 the secretary was C A Longhurst. The professional was A Hedges and the green-keeper W White. Membership throughout this period was about 500. Course records were, amateur Dr T H Brown 69 and professional H Frostick 68. Visitors’ fees on introduction, 2/6 a day, weekend and Bank Holidays 5/-, 10/6 a week and £1/11/6 a month.

The above trophy, about eight inches tall and five inches in diameter, is inscribed; North Surrey Golf Club – Hague Cup, Winner 1933, J G Mundy. Thanks to Jeffrey Munday (son of the winner) for the image. His father was 25 years old in 1933.